Rail-joint.



' D. W. JAMES.

RAL JOINT. I

APPLIOATION FILED M120, 1912.

1,037,774, Patented svept.,3,1912.

EEC-Lla www1/hoz David Wcn/es,

DAVID WESLEY JAMES, OF DESMET, IDAHO.,

RAIL-JOINT.

Specificationy of Letters Patent;

Patented Sept. 3, 1912.k

Application fledMarch 20, 1912. SerialNo. 685,015.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID WESLEY J AMES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Desmet, in t-he county of Kootenai and State of Idaho, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of whichthe following is a specication, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail joints andhas foritsl object to provide an improved rail joint by means of whichthe meeting ends of the rails are effec-tually connected togetherwithout the use of the customary bolts, the necessity for forming boltholes in the ends of the rails being thus obviated and the cost ofconstruction of the track being reduced to a minimum.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich will possess advantages in points of eiiiciency and durability, isinexpensive of manufacture and at the same time is simple inconstruction and operation.

lVith the above and other objects in view the `invention consists in thenovel features of construction and the combination and arrangement ofparts hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims andshown in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure l is a top plan View; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view; and Fig. 8 isa sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is a sectionalview on the line 4-4 of Fig. l.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l and 2 indicate theabutting ends of the two rails. The flanges 3 on the end of the rail lare provided near their ends with the transverse elongated openings 4adapted to receive the hooks 5, formed on one end of the locking plates6. The flanges on the rail 2 are provided near their ends with theelongated openings 7 adapted to receive the lug 8 formed on the end ofthe locking plates opposite the hooks 5. It will be readily seen thatthe hooks 5 are disposed longitudinally with respect to the lockingplates, therefore in order to insert the hooks within the transverseopenings 4 the plates are arranged so that their ends are disposedtransversely of the flanges 3. After inserting the hooks in this mannerthe plates 6 are swung and disposed over the ends of the anges on therail 2, the lugs 8 are then inserted in the openings 7 to lock the endsof the rails 'se-V curely together. When the locking plates are inftheireffective position the hooks 5 are disposed transversely of the openings4 to hold the plates securely in place upon the flangesof the rails.These vlocking plates may be further held in place by driving spikes invthetie at the edge ofthe flanges and having their heads engaging overthe outer edges of the plates 6. But in place ofithese spikes Ipreferably'use a clamping member 9 which comprises a base l0 that restsupon the tie and is rigidly secured thereto by means of the spikes 11embedded in the tie and engaging the longitudinal edges of the base.Inwardly extending flanges l2 are formed on the edges of the clampingmember and adapted to engage over the fianges of the rails to hold thelocking plates securely in place. By the use of this clamping plate theends of the rails are prevented from wearing into the ties which causeslow joints, that is if the end of one of the rails wears into the tiefaster than the end on the other rail.

IVith the foregoing description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing it will be apparent that I have provided animproved rail joint in which the rail ends are firmly connected togetherwithout the use of the customary bolts.

rlVhile I have shown yand described the preferred form of my inventionit will be obvious that various changes in the details of constructionand in the proportions may be resorted to for successfully carrying myinvention into practice without sacrificing any of the novel features ordeparting from the scope thereof.

What I claim is l. In a device of the character described, thecombination of the meeting ends of the rails, the flanges on said railshaving openings formed in their ends, locking plates, projections formedon said plates at each end thereof and adapted to engage in saidopenings to lock the ends of the rails together, and a clamping memberhaving flanges formed thereon to engage over the locking plates to holdthe same in an effective position, and means for securing said clampingmember to the ties.` y l 2. In a device of the character described, thecombination of the meeting ends of the rails, the flanges on the end ofone of said rails having transverse openings formed therein, the liangeson the end of the other of said rails having longitudinal openingsformed therein, locking plates, hooks formed on one end of said plates,said hooks being disposed in said transverse openings and arrangedthereacross, lugs formed on the other end of said plates and disposed insaid longitudinal openings to lock the ends of the rails together, aclamping Vmemloer having ianges formed thereon to engage over thelocking plates to hold the same in an etleo tive position, and means forsecuring said clamping member to the ties.

3. In a device of the character described, the ycombination of themeeting ends of the rails, the flanges on the end of one of said railshaving transverse openings formed ing therein, the ilanges 0n the end ofthe other of said rails having longitudinal openings formed therein7locking plates, hooks formed on one end of said plates, said hooks beingdisposed in said transverse openings and arranged thereacross, lugsformed on the other end of said plates and disposed in said longitudinalopenings to lock the ends of the rails together, and means for holdsaidplates in effective posit-ion.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliiX my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

DAVID VESLEY JAMES.

Witnesses:

lV. B. VEATHERFORD, B. R. SVENSGAARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

